Jawad Mir
329 episodes listed below
Film craft from the working side.
Kingdom of Dreams Podcast follows Jawad Mir in long-form conversations with the people who build film and television from the inside. Recent episodes focus on set decoration, directing, editing, cinematography, VFX, production challenges, and the creative judgments that shape finished scenes.
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Kingdom of Dreams Podcast is a craft-first interview series about how movies and television actually get made. Jawad Mir speaks with the people close to the work: set decorators, directors, editors, cinematographers, critics, authors, and other screen storytellers. The show’s center of gravity is production detail. A conversation about Bridgerton can turn on set decoration, continuity, class, blocking, actor work, and the challenge of entering a series with an existing identity. A discussion of The Dinosaurs can move between wildlife unpredictability and VFX planning. An episode on Nuremberg becomes a study in restraint, where the tension of a sound or a single shot can matter more than explicit imagery. The interviews often begin with enthusiasm, then settle into the more useful questions: what changed, what was cut, what proved harder than expected, and which decisions only became clear in the edit. It is an accessible show, but it is not shallow. Mir tends to ask from the perspective of someone trying to understand the machinery of cinema, which gives the conversations a working filmmaker’s curiosity. Recent guests have talked about production challenges, lighting, comedy staging, digital creatures, sound passes, director’s cuts, career changes, language, criticism, and the strange persistence of films that were misunderstood or underseen. The range is broad. Netflix series sit beside science fiction, courtroom drama, Bollywood film writing, and comedy. The connective tissue is process. Kingdom of Dreams Podcast is most rewarding when it lets a guest explain the invisible labor behind something that looked effortless on screen. It suits listeners who care about the room, the cut, the camera, the schedule, and the human judgment underneath all of it.
Made for: For film and television fans who care about production decisions, not just plot or celebrity. It also suits emerging filmmakers who want candid process talk from screen professionals.
What sets it apart: The show gets unusually close to the practical middle of filmmaking: set rooms, edit bays, VFX planning, blocking, lighting, and postproduction problem-solving. Its strength is the patient craft conversation behind recognizable titles.
Kingdom of Dreams Podcast is a must-listen for film enthusiasts. As a director, producer, and passionate movie lover, I’ve always been captivated by the behind-the-scenes stories, especially those from my own filmmaking journey. This podcast is dedicated to uncovering untold stories from Directors, Editors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers, Production Designers, Producers, Composers, VFX artists, and more. It also explores the highs and lows of building a career in filmmaking and the profound ways it shapes our personal lives.
A stolen rough cut and Bob Dylan's signed breakaway guitar become your backstage pass.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A director's cut vindication story with practical detail and a firm view of creative control.
Brett Leonard looks back at how The Lawnmower Man found a second life in its director's cut, with more than half an hour put back and most of that restoration concentrated in the first act.
A lively backlot memory reel that makes movie craft feel urgent, funny, and specific.
Kevin Hughes comes across as a prop master who treats movie-making as a hands-on craft, shaped by rules, accidents, and a willingness to bend both.
Post-production, explained by the people doing it.
Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant explain one topic per episode, from the bicameral mind to Boeing's MCAS.
Multi-part dramatized retellings of scandals like OceanGate's Titan and the Lehman Brothers collapse.
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins dissect Oscar races, new releases, and Hollywood news.
Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen debate new releases, classics, and their own film rankings.
Byron Smith, editor of Apple TV's Lucky, returns to Kingdom of Dreams to discuss cutting episodes four and five, which the host calls an "explosion" after a slower start.
Harry Yoon, editor of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, says audiences' first reaction is surprise at how emotional the film is, a response he links to its slice-of-life end-title sequence.
This episode features an interview with Natalie Papageorgiadis, set decorator for the Bridgerton series, discussing her creative process, challenges, and experiences working on the show.
This episode features an interview with the director and co-director of Netflix's series 'The Dinosaurs', discussing their roles, VFX, and production challenges.
Host interviews film editor Tom Eagles about his work on the film Nuremberg, discussing editing choices and behind-the-scenes details.
Host Jawad Mir interviews editor Craig Wood about his work on Gore Verbinski's film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die and the challenges of filmmaking.
Host Joad Mir interviews director Anya Adams about her career, working on Bridgerton, and the craft of filmmaking.
Jawad Mir speaks with Brett Leonard about The Lawnmower Man, its director’s cut on Amazon Prime, and why the film still feels relevant decades after its 1992 release.
Interview with cinematographer Nigel Pluck about the making of the comedy film Anaconda.
This episode features an interview with Bollywood movie critic and author Anupama Chopra about her book 'Dining with Stars', which compiles celebrity interviews from her career.
This episode features an interview with editor Joe Beshenkovsky about the documentary 'Megadoc' which explores Frances Ford Coppola's decades-long journey making his film 'Megalopolis'.
This episode discusses the Netflix special 'Dining with Kapoor's', which features the famous Bollywood Kapoor family sharing authentic conversations and emotional memories during a family meal.
Kevin Hughes traces his path from a family with Paramount, CBS, and Vaudeville connections to prop work on Apocalypse Now, Piranha, Boogie Nights, and Dead Man.
Host Joad Mir interviews character designer Carlos Grengel about his work on Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron and his experiences at DreamWorks.
Host Jawad Mir interviews cinematographer Matthew Chung about his work on Apple TV's Chief of War, discussing technical aspects and personal stories.
This episode features an interview with editor Byron Smith, discussing his work on shows like '1923' starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, as well as his editing career and workflow.
Host Jawad Mir interviews Emmy-nominated production designer Rob Tokars about his career and work on HBO's Hacks.
Host Jawad Mir interviews actress Marina Khan about her experiences working on Pakistani television dramas and the filmmaking process.
Host Joe Adnir interviews director Fax Bar about his documentary Hearts of Darkness, covering its making and the film's legacy.
Host Jawad Mir interviews line producer Britt Ballantyne about her work on Mission Impossible 8 and other major films, discussing stunts, Tom Cruise's dedication, and her career journey.
Cinematographer John Seal discusses his experience working on Mad Max: Fury Road, including challenges with 3D cameras and personal health issues.